GDT: When forces of Nature Meet

[Navin R Slavin]

I watch sports less and less because of the power they have to make me feel bad.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

Credit to Tampa. The Bolts caught the Canes napping off the opening draw, got the lead and then shut the game down from that point. Their forecheck was fast, but responsible. Think about what it took, a high-end play from Slavin, just to get a quality look off the rush.

 

[The Faulker 27]

Lots of pressure on them to win Tuesday.

 

[spockBokk]

Right now we seem to be one of those teams that will make the playoffs but probably get steamrolled by the first elite team we meet.

I’d be ok with that. Of course the goal is the Cup, but that isn’t happening this year. Just make the playoffs, get the experience, fix the D and solidify the goaltending in the off-season.

 

[The Faulker 27]

Rod didn't like his group tonight.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Rod didn't like his group tonight.

Did he rip 'em in the presser?

 

[Svechhammer]

Did he rip 'em in the presser?

His presser laster 83 seconds.

And even in that time he said it was the worst effort they have put forth this season and they didn't deserve to win.

 

[hblueridgegal]

He called it the worst effort of the year - that they didn't come to play.

Forslund and everyone else calling out the top 2 lines - especially Aho and Dougie as having some issues of late.

 

[The Faulker 27]

Did he rip 'em in the presser?

Not really a rip but said it was more or less the first game where he was disappointed in everyone.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

It's scary to think about Hamilton going into liability mode for a stretch. The coaches have nowhere to go. There's no de Haan - Faulk middle pairing anymore. Let's be honest, this team only has 3 legit Top 4 defensemen at this time.

 

[VAcaniac]

I made a good call.

Stick with my plans or watch the Canes lose a matinee to a hot Tampa team? Saw this coming 10,000 miles away.

 

[Canes]

It's scary to think about Hamilton going into liability mode for a stretch. The coaches have nowhere to go. There's no de Haan - Faulk middle pairing anymore. Let's be honest, this team only has 3 legit Top 4 defensemen at this time.

I think they were really banking on Gardiner especially given that we signed him for 4 years. He won’t even be in the league in 4 years. Huge swing and a miss by the FO. Hurts after finally getting out from the Darling contract. Edmundson I don’t think was really thought of as more than a bottom 6 guy that could fill in every now and then in the top 4. Fleury is looking like the best option we have to round out the top 4 but that’s also not very optimal. We gotta do something about Gardiner this offseason if an internal option is not ready.

 

[bleedgreen]

Outclassed for about 95% of the game. We’ve been doing it all season but it really struck me late in this game how much we overpass and refuse to shoot the puck. Especially Aho and TT but it’s a team trait at this point. The power plays at the end were painful. So many passes and then whoever has one foot on the blue line shoots into two guys right in front of him. So many passes with no point to them.

Even when they gave us a small moment of hope we just squandered it over and over.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

I think they were really banking on Gardiner especially given that we signed him for 4 years. He won’t even be in the league in 4 years. Huge swing and a miss by the FO. Hurts after finally getting out from the Darling contract. Edmundson I don’t think was really thought of as more than a bottom 6 guy that could fill in every now and then in the top 4. Fleury is looking like the best option we have to round out the top 4 but that’s also not very optimal. We gotta do something about Gardiner this offseason if an internal option is not ready.

I've been thinking about that. Put the 23 year old version of Fleury back on his natural side next to a strong defensive partner and see if it clicks. It wouldn't hurt to try at this point. He can at least skate; he's probably the best they got outside of the top pair in that regard.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

I've been thinking about that. Put the 23 year old version of Fleury back on his natural side next to a strong defensive partner and see if it clicks. It wouldn't hurt to try at this point. He can at least skate; he's probably the best they got outside of the top pair in that regard.

We need a fast D-first guy who can partner with Gardiner if we want to get anything out of him, and it's way too soon to cut bait. Slavin's D with Hamilton's O, Pesce's D with anyone with offensive upside (1), and Gardiner's O with someone young and fast who can cover on D (2).

I think (2) is Fleury. It's not Eddy because he's not fast enough. Maybe it's TVR?

I think (1) is a callup. Give Jake Bean a look. Or maybe it's Fleury?

Otherwise, it's gotta be Pesce and Gardiner together, and the third pairing plays 6-8 minutes a night. Trouble is, I don't think Gardiner's in shape to play 20+ on the regular.

 

[Svechhammer]

Slavin's D with Hamilton's O, Pesce's D with anyone with offensive upside (1), and Gardiner's O with someone young and fast who can cover on D (2).

This is predicated on Gardiner providing anything of substance on offense and we have 3 months of him in a Canes jersey that shows he's not capable of that anymore

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

We need a fast D-first guy who can partner with Gardiner if we want to get anything out of him, and it's way too soon to cut bait. Slavin's D with Hamilton's O, Pesce's D with anyone with offensive upside (1), and Gardiner's O with someone young and fast who can cover on D (2).

I think (2) is Fleury. It's not Eddy because he's not fast enough. Maybe it's TVR?

I think (1) is a callup. Give Jake Bean a look. Or maybe it's Fleury?

Otherwise, it's gotta be Pesce and Gardiner together, and the third pairing plays 6-8 minutes a night. Trouble is, I don't think Gardiner's in shape to play 20+ on the regular.

I'm not suggesting cutting bait and I'm not even sure they could as other teams do have pro scouts. Maybe try resting him some to see if that does any good. It's obvious that his back has had an effect on his skating and thus his whole game. Victor Rask may be able to beat him in a race for a loose puck on the defensive side. I'm inclined to believe that his point work will find its way back to the mean and he'll put up more points, but this team needs the version that will activate and feed the transition game beyond flinging pucks from his own zone.

Ultimately, this team needs to do what gives them the best chance to win. If that's young legs (Fleury and/or Bean), they have to go in that direction.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

This is predicated on Gardiner providing anything of substance on offense and we have 3 months of him in a Canes jersey that shows he's not capable of that anymore

If he can't, he can't. But you gotta put him in a chance to succeed. It's just way too early to decide that he's done.

Let's be honest, it's not like he's been the guy costing us games.

 

[Svechhammer]

If he can't, he can't. But you gotta put him in a chance to succeed. It's just way too early to decide that he's done.

Let's be honest, it's not like he's been the guy costing us games.

Watching the game yesterday, I think this team needs a shakeup. They've been trending toward lazier and lazier play lately thinking they can just turn it on for one period and get a win. Yesterday was really bad in just how lazy their effort was. Too many times to count they would have someone open for an entry pass to gain the offensive zone but instead would just throw it to the corner where it would be immediately collected by Tampa and sent the other way. I think they opened each period with an icing off the opening faceoff. They're too often settling for the low percentage stretch pass over the smothering play that have won them so many games in the past. It just feels like they think they don't have to give maximum effort every night and it's starting to hurt them on the scoreboard and in the standings. Mrazek allowing 2 goals on 2 shots to open the game certainly took a lot of wind out of the sails, but even when we had momentum we looked for the perfect shot rather than get someone in front to try and do the hard work to get a dirty goal. I don't know what the solution is for them right now. Maybe it's Williams coming back, but that's not going to resolve these problems over the long term.

I hate to say it, but they're playing like a team captained by a Staal.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Outclassed for about 95% of the game. We’ve been doing it all season but it really struck me late in this game how much we overpass and refuse to shoot the puck. Especially Aho and TT but it’s a team trait at this point. The power plays at the end were painful. So many passes and then whoever has one foot on the blue line shoots into two guys right in front of him. So many passes with no point to them.

Even when they gave us a small moment of hope we just squandered it over and over.

Yep, it was an anti-Rod Brind'Amour game. Rod Brind'Amour isn't pretty and works hard. Last night, the Canes tried to be too pretty and didn't work hard. I thought Gardiner looked decent last night, thought Dougie looked terrible though. TT and Aho were way off last night. Dzingle, Necas and Haula were playing "Any pass you can make, I can make better".

 

[Negan4Coach]

Watching the game yesterday, I think this team needs a shakeup. They've been trending toward lazier and lazier play lately thinking they can just turn it on for one period and get a win. Yesterday was really bad in just how lazy their effort was. Too many times to count they would have someone open for an entry pass to gain the offensive zone but instead would just throw it to the corner where it would be immediately collected by Tampa and sent the other way. I think they opened each period with an icing off the opening faceoff. They're too often settling for the low percentage stretch pass over the smothering play that have won them so many games in the past. It just feels like they think they don't have to give maximum effort every night and it's starting to hurt them on the scoreboard and in the standings. Mrazek allowing 2 goals on 2 shots to open the game certainly took a lot of wind out of the sails, but even when we had momentum we looked for the perfect shot rather than get someone in front to try and do the hard work to get a dirty goal. I don't know what the solution is for them right now. Maybe it's Williams coming back, but that's not going to resolve these problems over the long term.

I hate to say it, but they're playing like a team captained by a Staal.

I think when you give up 2 goals on 2 shots, you're not going to see any extra effort from the team in working like dogs to smother the puck. I saw some angry checks, which was encouraging, but the team was noticeably frustrated and got off their game.

 

[Negan4Coach]

Oh snap.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

View attachment 303547 Oh snap.

Some guys know how to use that word, some don't. Kind of like telling a joke, some guys know how to tell a joke, some don't.

 

[MinJaBen]

I've been thinking about that. Put the 23 year old version of Fleury back on his natural side next to a strong defensive partner and see if it clicks. It wouldn't hurt to try at this point. He can at least skate; he's probably the best they got outside of the top pair in that regard.

I'd love to see Gardiner a healthy scratch at least once. Put him in the press box and play Slavin - Hamilton, Fleury - Pesce, Joel - TvR.

 

[Identity404]

Is anyone able to look up our record on early Sunday games and just early games in general? It has to be one of the worst on the league.

I knew not to watch this one. I checked the box score at the end of the 1st and 2nd just to confirm.

It's a sports oddity how some things hold true for teams, year after year, even after complete roster turn over. Playing at MSG seems like another good example. Maybe the players catch wind of historical records against teams or in buildings and it subconsciously effects their play...